Drier



W MESSINGER Dec. 8, 1953 DRIER 2 Sh'ets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l, 1950 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE prima william Messing-fer, Philadelphia, Pa. Application February 1, 1950, Serial No. 141,752 1o claims. (oi. 's4-e124) The present invention relates to drying mechanisms and embodies an improved form of dryer of the type generally illustrated in V'my United States Letters Patent No. 2,486,719, granted November l, 1949. Drying mechanisms of the kind shown and described in my above patent are particularly useful in drying paper webs and, in this operation, the drying drums or cylinders are of great size. lThe requirement in this operation that all portions of the paper web be subjected to uniform treatment necessitates that the-drying drum be supported in such fashion that longitudinal deflection be reduced to an absolute minimum, and that the drying medium utilized in the drum shall be subjected to such conditions oi circulation that it will heat all portions of the drum uniformly.

In order to accomplish the foregoing objectives and to provide an improved form of drying' mechanism, the present invention has been made, and an object of this invention is to provide a drying mechanism of the above character wherein the drying structure is such as to avoid irregularities and imperfections that would ordinarily result due to expansion and contraction of the mechanism during the operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above character wherein the structure is such as to reduce, to a negligible amount, defects and irregularities from desired optimum conditions in the mounting and operating of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying mechanism of the above character wherein the heating fluid, such as, for example, steam, may be introduced into the mechanism and supplied to various portions thereof across the length of the device lin such fashion as to provide a desirable substantial uniformity in temperature on the surface of the device.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described in greater detail in connection with the `accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1A and 1B, taken together, show a drying drum constructed in accordance with the present invention, the view being taken in 1ongitudinal section in a plane passing through the axis of the device;

Figure 2 is a view in somewhat reduced scale showing the drying drum of Figures 1A and 1B in front elevation with the outer casing in section to show the inner shell;

Figure 3 is a View 'in transverse crossfs'ection, taken on the plane indicated by' the' line 3;-3

2 of Figure 1A, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Y Figure l is a View in transverse `cross-section, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1B, and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a partial view in cross-section, taken on the plane indicated bythe line 5 5 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the `afi'- Vrows this view illustrating the `Lveb structure in the central transverse plane of the device; and

Figure (i is `a partial view, similar to Figure 5, showing theweb and supporting structure at a quarter-position oi the drum, more specifically, at )the quarterposition illustrated in Figure 1A.

Referring to the above drawings, a drying cylinder is illustrated generally at IQ, as 'being formed of an outer casing or shell Il, having a desired surface to accomplish the drying operation to be performed and preferably being formed of continuous material extending axially euross the vcylinder l0. The outer casing is secured over an inner shell indicated generally at I2 and, in the form of the invention shown and described herein, this shell is formed of a plurality of sections I3, I5 and I6. The end sections I3 and it are mounted upon headers or end supports shown ygenerally at l1 'and I3, respectively, while the intermediate sections I i and I5 are secured together and to the end 'sections, as will be presently described.

In order that the several sections of the inner 'shell'may be secured together effectively and have `suflicient strength, each section, at each end thereof, is provided with inwardly extending flanges in the following fashion. The end secV- tions YI3 and it have secured thereto, atthe outer ends, flanges i9 and 2d, respectively, these flanges being identical 'in construction as illustrated in Figures 1A and 1B. The inner ends 'of the sections I3 and l are provided with flanges 2| and 22, respectively, these flanges also being of identical structure. The intermediate sections ld and I5 are provided, at their adjacent ends, with anges 2'3 and 24, respectively, these flanges mating yand being `adapted to be secured togethed as illustrated in Figure 1A, and as will be rdescribed presently. The ends of the sections M and I5 remote from the adjacent ends above referred to have secured thereto flanges 25 and 26, respectively, flange 25 being adapted to mate with the previously described 'flange 2i, and flange 26 with flange 22. Reinforcement against longitudinal dee'ction is provided by 'means 'of 'a series of icircumferentiaily disposed flanges on the several sections, the portions of these webs on the sections I3 and I6 being i1- lustrated at 21 and 28, respectively, whereas the portions of these longitudinally extending webs on the sections I4 and I5 are illustrated at 29 and 33, respectively.

The flanges I9 and 2U are, respectively, formed with circumferential manifolds or channels 3| and 32, the manifolds being closed by the inner surfaces of the respective inner shells. These anges are also formed with inner circumferential bearing surfaces 33 and 34, respectively, and with circumferential grooves 35 and 36, respectively, for a purpose to be described presently. The anges 2| and 22 of the sections I3 and I6 are formed with the respective inwardly facing bearing surfaces 31 and 38 and with circular channels or manifolds 39 and 43, respectively.

The flanges of the respective sections I4 and I are formed, as illustrated in Figure 1A, with cooperating structure comprising mating circular channels 4| and 42 in the respective flanges 23 and 24, and 43 and 44 in the respective anges 25 and 2t. The channels 39 and 43 thus cooperate to form a circular manifold, the function of which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, while the channels 43 and 44 provide a similar function. The flanges 23 and 24 are also formed with mating shoulders 45 and 45, while the flanges 2| and 22 and the flanges 25 and 25 are formed with mating shoulders 41, 48 and 49, 53. The flanges 25 and 26 are also formed with circular grooves 49a. and 53a, respectively. In assembling the various inner shell sections together, bolts 5| are provided for securing the flanges 23 and 24 together whereas bolts 52 are provided for securing the flanges 2 I, 25 and 22, 25 together.

In order that the assembled shell may be mounted in position for operation, it is mounted upon the headers i1 and i8 previously generally referred to. These headers are formed of shafts 53 and 511, respectively, having respective journal bearings 55 and 56. Outer header plates 51 and 53 are secured to the respective shafts 53 and 5s adjacent the respective bearings 55 and 55, while inner header plates 59 and G0 are secured to the opposite extremities of the respective shafts 53 and 54. The outer plates 51 and 58 are formed with circular flanges 6| and |32,` respectively, that are received Within the respective grooves 35 and 35, bolts 63 and 64 serving to secure the outer plates to the respective flanges I5 and 20. The inner plates are formed with circumferential bearing surfaces 35 and 66, respectively, that engage the respective bearing surfaces 31 and 33, and circular flanges 31 and V68 are formed on the respective plates 55 and 60 to engage the circular grooves 49d and 50a. Itis to be observed that there are no bolts provided to secure the plates 59 and 6|) to the flanges which are supported upon these plates. These plates serve effectively to position the flanges thereon while accommodating expansion and contraction of the shell during variations in temperature to which the shell is subjected during operation. Rigidity is imparted to the headers by means of axially extending reinforcing webs 59 and 1|), respectively.

In order that the stresses to which the header plates 51, 58, 59, and Sil are subjected may be absorbed without impairng the operation of the mechanism or the structure thereof, each of the header plates is formed with a plurality of Webs formed by a circular series of slots 1|. Each slot is formed with a portion V12 that extends substantially at right angles to the radii of the header and lies outwardly with respect to such radii, and portions 13 that similarly lie at right angles to the radii, but inwardly radially from the outer portions 12. A connecting slot portion 14 preferably lies at an acute angle to the radii of the header, and adjacent slots are formed with at least a portion of the outer and inner slot portions overlapping, as illustrated in Figure 4. in this fashion stresses due to expansion and contraction are effectively absorbed.

In order that steam may be circulated through the drying cylinder and used effectively to heat the outer casing or shell, the inner shell is formed with a multiplicity of channels which are closed by the outer casing. These channels may be arranged, as illustrated in Figure 2, wherein channels 15 of the shell section I3 and channels 15 of the shell section i5 lie in general parallelism, and channels 'I1 and 18 in the respective shell sections i4 and i6 are parallel. The channels 15 communicate with circumferential grooves 15 and 83; channels 'i1 with circumferential groove 5B and a central circumferential groove 3|; channels 15 with circumferential groove 3| and a circumferential groove 82; and channels 13 communicate with the groove 82 and a circumferential groove 83. The respective grooves 19 to 33, inclusive, communicate with manifolds 3|, 33, 42, 40, and 32, respectively, through a plurality of series of passages 34, 85, 35, 81, and 83. Each of the channels may be provided with a removable plug 35, as illustrated in Figures 1A and 2.

The steam, or other heating fluid, is supplied to and discharged from the cylinder through an axial bore within which concentric supply and discharge pipes 9| and 92, respectively, are received. The supply pipe 5| communicates with a supply manifold 94 that is formed in a central casing 93. The casing is supported coaxially of the drying `cylinder `by means of a plurality of brackets 35 and is provided with oppositeiy extending supply pipes 35 that communicate with bellows sections 31 and supply pipes 38 that are secured to the flanges 25 and 26 to communicate with manifolds d3 and 44. In this fashionthe manifolds 43, 44, in cooperation with manifolds 33, :it supply steam through the ports 35 and 51, to the respective circumferential grooves 83 and 32, from which the steam ilows through the plurality of pairs of channels 15, 11 and 15, 13 from which the steam is received by the circumferential grooves 19, 8|, and 83.

The steam returns fromthe grooves 19 and 33 through the respective ports VS4 and 8S into the manifolds 3| and 32. From the groove Si, the steam returns through the ports 35 and into the manifold formed by the cooperating manifolds 4| and 42. Pipe return sections 33 return the steam from the manifolds 3i and 32 and direct it to twin connections |35 from which discharge pipes il return the steam to a dis charge manifold |52 that is formed in the casing 93. inasmuch as the discharge pipe 92 communicates with the discharge manifold |52, it will be seen that the outgoingsteam is thus carried away through the discharge pipe 92. The steam from the manifold 42 is discharged through discharge pipes |33 which are connected through bellows connection, its to discharge pipe sections HB5, and thus to the twin connec-f tions |03, to be returned throughthe discharge pipe sections IGI, as previously described.

In theforegoing connections andsupports, the

path of travel of the steam is the same for all channels and, in this fashion, the heating of the outer casing is accomplished effectively with a desired degre of uniformity.

While this invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Drying mechanism, comprising a cylindrical shell formed with a plurality of series of channels lying upon opposite sides of a transverse plane, a circular manifold in the transverse plane communicating with adjacent ends of each cf the channels cf each adjacent series, circular manifolds spaced axially equidistantly from the transverse plane and communicating respectively with the remote ends of the channels of the said adjacent series, and means coaxially of the shell and lying in the rst mentioned transverse plane to supply fluid to and receive duid from the manifold.

2. Drying mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the iiuid supply and receiving means comprises a casing having inlet and supply manifolds and ducts connecting the casing manifolds with the first mentioned manifolds.

3. Drying mechanism, comprising a cylindrical shell formed with four axially spaced series of channels, circular end manifolds in the shell adjacent the ends thereof and communicating with the outer ends of the channels of the outermost series, quarter position manifolds lying in transverse planes between the end series and respective inner series of channels and communicating with the ends of the channels of the respectively adjacent series, a central manifold communicat ing with the inner ends of the channels of the adjacent series, a centrally positioned casing lying axially of the shell and having inlet and discharge manifolds, means to connect the central and end shell manifolds with one of the manifolds of the casing and means to connect the quarter position manifolds with the other of the casing manifolds.

4. Drying mechanism, according to claim 3, wherein coaxially arranged fluid inlet and discharge pipes are connected to the respective inlet and discharge manifolds of the casing.

5. A drying mechanism comprising a cylindrical shell, a pair of bearing means secured in spaced apart relation within the shell at each end thereof and forming a plurality of inner bearing surfaces adjacent each end of the shell, end supports for the shell adapted to be received in each end of the shell, each end support comprising a journal bearing having spaced bearing members thereon, each bearing member being adapted to engage one of the inner bearing sur- 6 faces, one of the hearing members being xed to one of the hearing means and the other bearing member being slldable relative to the other bearing means.

6. Drying mechanism according tc claim 5, wherein each of the bearing elements on each journal bearing comprises a disk to engage Within a bearing surface.

7. Drying mechanism according to claim 5, wherein each of the bearing elements on each journal bearing comprises a disk to engage within a bearing surface, and means to secure the outermost of the disks to the outermost of the hearing surfaces in each respective end of the shell.

3. Drying mechanism according to claim 5, wherein each end support includes a plurality of spaced disks to engage the bearing surfaces, an axial hub connecting the disks, and axially eX- tending reinforcing wehe secured to the disks and hub.

9. Drying mechanism, comprising a cylindrical outer shell, a supporting disk, means to secure the disk in supporting position with relation to the shell and a plurality of slots in the disk formed to lie at angles to radii of the disk, and wherein adjacent slots have portions overlapping in a radial direction and extending at angles to radii of the disk.

10. Drying mechanism, comprising a cylindrical outer shell, a supporting disk, means to secure the disk in supporting position with relation to the shell and a plurality of slots in the disk formed to lie at angles to radii of the disk and wherein each slot is formed with inner and outer portions extending at angles to the radii of the disk and wherein the inner portion of one slot lies in overlapping relation to the outer portion of an adjacent slot.

WILLIAM MESSINGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 266,104 Crowley Oct. 17, 1882 1,521,660 Wade et a1 Jan. 6, 1925 1,583,333 Bigurn May 4, 1926 1,693,934 Millspaugh Dec. 4, 1928 1,790,700 Escole Feb. 3, 1931 2,044,640 Schuster June 16, 1936 2,294,866 Bergmann Sept. 1, 1942 2,374,745 Grimm May 1, 1945 2,433,121 Hornbostel Dec. 23, 1947 2,542,287 Neubauer Feb. 20, 1951 2,563,692 Ostertag et al Aug. 7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 150,295 Austria July 26, 1937 

